Saturday, March 21, 2015

Every fiction reader must suspend their sense of disbelief to
enter and buy into a story, even one built on an implausible premise. One
aspect of this requires me, as the author, to create a believable world where
the details of setting and character agree with the reader's knowledge. If this
happens, then stretching their imaginations and the limits of their belief
becomes easier. This means getting the details right, and this often requires
research. The thing to remember is all fiction is fantasy, and every fantasy
needs a solid footing based on the perceptions of human reality.

All fiction genres take research for establishing details in the setting, even
in contemporary settings where the reader might think that since the author
lives in today’s reality, the writing of the setting is self-evident. Well,
yes, it is, but it is also very changeable. If an author doesn’t have actual
experience in a chosen place, they may not know local history, customs, and
idiosyncrasies of that particular setting. On the other hand, if a reader does
have familiarity with this place, anything that screams ‘untrue,’ makes them leave
the story. Things as simple as how police departments operate can differ subtly
or dramatically by location, just as laws can vary by community.

Historical settings make take gobs of research. I’ve been working on a story
set in the Carolingian age where it seems on every page I find something else
needs research. Other periods, like the English Regency era, are so popular
books have been written on the peculiarities of the time for author’s using that particular setting. This might
be a pet peeve. Having studied and read history, I pick out inconsistencies in
fiction right away and incorrect details of a particular historical
setting will throw me right out of a story. I’ve noticed, however, characters presented
as more modern in attitude and behavior don’t.

Which leads to this: suspension of disbelief involves more than just setting. Today’s Regencies often contain wild
per-marital sex, which was a big taboo for upper-class women of the time, but
seems to work in today’s stories. Perhaps making a character’s behavior more
modern makes them more believable or maybe relatable. ??? Yet unbelievable behaviors and traits in characters can turn off the reader. For instance, how characters act and
speak often differs by age, and nothing drives me crazy like a three-year-old
character using the vocabulary of an eleven-year-old child. I’ve noticed
children are often miscast by dialogue in this manner no matter what their
‘age’ in the story.

Of course, I write science fiction. For me, science or scientific theory must
create the foundation of science fiction; otherwise, it is future fantasy in
the truest sense of the fantasy genre. For my novels, I’ve had to research
everything from psychology to if bio-formation of a block of rock planet can work and turn it into a life-bearing planet.
Another research aspect was how faster-than-light travel might be possible
without falling back on Star Trek
themes. My hope is that as long as I can get the reader to believe the
possibility, they will suspend their disbelief to enjoy (and believe) the
story.

Counting wouldn't get far without this empty placeholder, so here's to zero.

Sciences, math, and technology:

Nullus or nulla, meaning nothing

Only 0 and 1 are used in the binary system

Rules of Brahmagupta, earliest known use of zero in mathematics, 628 B.C.

Symbols:

The goose egg

the Lemniscate symbol represents infinity in mathematics and eternity in occult studies (an eight on laying on its side)

image of urboros swallowing his tail shown. The classical Greek alchemist’s representation of Uroboros, the World Snake

Color: Color comes from the refection of white light. The absence of light is total blackness, representing nothingness. Black indicates no light. White in paint is the absence of pigment or color although there are mineral pigments used to create the white; thus, white also represents nothingness.

Zero’s prophetic references:

Naught represents the void, or the emptiness before creation. Zero can mean invisibility or death as in unobservant or gone, so becomes those who are nonentities, anonymous, nobodies.

Zero is akin to a self-emptying process, particularly of the ego. Therefore, it represents those who are unaware, in-cognizant, or oblivious.

In relation to one’s coming into existence, it represents non-existence or oblivion.

Zero as shown by the circle of pre-conscious totality, the Ouroboros Serpent with its tail in its mouth forming a circle around the collection of existence and non-existence. Isn't it interesting that most clocks and compasses were circular in shape, showing they included all of known existence. The Ourobouros perpetually lives off itself, like the universe. Ouroboros also represents a closed system and more recently, the human psyche.

Negative connotations: Everyone who has ever been called a zero or a nothing, knows the bad side of zero. However, it can also be anyone who deceives himself (herself), remaining oblivious to his (her) own life or the lives of others.

Tarot Divination: The Fool's card upright represents a dreamer or a mystic who wants to accomplish great goals, someone who must be careful to make the right choices. It can also represent any start, but particularly of a journey. To be successful the Fool must plan, make good choices, and be prepared for the unexpected. It also means one chooses the path he takes, either good or evil. Perhaps thinking about a life's philosophy would be a good start. When the card is reverse in the divination layout it can mean a poor choice has been made, that the querier has been foolish or thoughtless.

Common usage, slang, metaphors, phrases:

absolute zero

goose egg

ground zero

na dah

nul op

sub zero

zero down

zero g's, zero gravity

zero hour

zero in – targeted

zero tolerance

* * * Sources Some information is drawn from: The Discoverers by Daniel J. Boorstin The Numerology Workbook by Julia Line Zero to Lazy Eight, the Romance of Numbers by Humez, Humez and Maguire Dartmouth, Number Symbolism in the Middle Ages site offers much info on Christianity and numbers.